Life in China

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No matter what I do, I can't get used to this life in China. I know I've only been here for 9 days, but I just.. can't.

Teaching has been going alright. Some days are better than others, as is the case with most jobs. I like the kids, but find teaching very tiring. When I teach 6 hours in a day, I go home and all I want to do is sleep. The little kids are fun though. Lots of energy.

I've found a few interesting places, some places to eat that remind me a bit of home.. and some places that don't so much. Last night I tried this cold, sweet, milky rice and tofu soup that I wasn't too fond of, but it's good to try new things.

It's been a very difficult week (9 days now). I still miss home greatly, more than I ever anticipated, but I think that I will adapt to this life. As long as I keep myself busy and around people, I will survive.

I'm taking it one day at a time.

Peter, who has been my roommate up until now, is leaving early tomorrow morning for Beijing and onward for a month of travel in China before he goes back home to Bulgaria. Peter's a great guy and has helped me a lot with advice about teaching and adapting to life here. Not wanting to be alone just yet, Daphne is moving in probably on Sunday night. She's 34 and from South Carolina, and really laid back. She's worked in Jinan for a while now, but will be done in August. She knows a lot of cool places to go and how all of the bus routes go. I think she'll help me buy a laptop computer sometime next week, so I will have it at home. Expect more updates then.

As for my time here so far, I have nothing really to say. Jinan is dirty (7th most polluted city in the world, number one for acid rain) but the people are okay, and I haven't seen a lot of the city yet. There are for sure some interesting things to see, that I will make sure I see. The Thousand Buddah Mountain, there's a zoo... some cultural markets... I'm determined to make the best of my time here.

Today I met Daphne at 9:30 and we took a couple of busses to a cultural market by Hero Mountain. I bought some incense and a mounted print to hang on the wall (very nice, and very cheap). I taught for three hours this afternoon, which didn't go that well but I think it's because I'm not feeling great. I get paid today, and I'll be signing an actual contract sometime next week I think... I want my last day to be 6 months from the day I started, so january 20th. That makes it 146 days away. Sad to think that I haven't even signed a contract and I'm already counting down the days. But it helps keep it in perspective.

If all works out as planned, I will be done on the 20th and spend two weeks in Thailand before coming home around the 5th of February (just in time for my 20th birthday). I just keep thinking about Thailand, and coming home and it keeps me sane. I also hope that Court will be able to come out for Christmas... that thought keeps me sane and makes me have something to look forward to.

Anyways, not a lot else to write about just now. I really appreciate all of the emails from home, with encouraging words and words of wisdom. I miss you all terribly and never realized until now how important home and family is to me. It's good that I've learned this now, rather than later.

I'll write again soon, hopefully from a laptop and in the comfort of my own living room.

Love you all,

laura

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